Nichplas p



(No Model.) 7

N. P. H. HUGUS MANUFACTURE OF AXLE BLANKS.

No. 455,594. Patented July 7, 1 891.

7:;FESSF25 yr wfiwrozz I ,2

i Afitorneys m m PETER! m, Murro msumamu, n. u.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. h

'NICHQLAS P. H. l-IUGUS, OF \VlLKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THESHELDON AXLE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MANUFACTURE OF 'AXL'E-BLAN KS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 455,594, dated July1891. Application filed April 22, 1891. Serial No. 5390;024. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS P. H. HUGUS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Wilkes-Barre, in the county of Luzerne and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in theManufacture of Axle-Blanks, of which the following is a specification.

The manufacture of what are known as fan-tailed axles for vehiclesthatis, axles that are spread nearthe centers to afford widened seats forthe wooden stiffening-bars clipped theretoas carried on in the ordinarymanner requires an objectionable amount of manipulation and theemployment of skilled labor, with liability of defects resulting fromimperfect welds, &c., which it is my object to avoid; and I accomplishthis object by forming each axle-blank of a continuous bar of metalwithout welds and capable of being wholly formed by machinery, as fullyset forth hereinafter, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a fan-tail axle asconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 illustrates the barfrom which the blank is formed. Figs. 3 and 4 are views illustratingdifferent sides of the blank in different stages of its manufacture.Fig. 5 is a view illustrating means for forum ing the collar. Fig. 6 isa view illustrating a construction of rolls for rolling the blank to itsdesired shape. Fig. 7 is a face View of the rolls, Fig. 6. q

The blank is produced from a bar of merchant iron or steel A, preferablyrectangular in cross-section, which is operated upon at the oppositeends beyond the pointsacw, where the collars are to be situated to drawdown these ends to a conical shape to constitute the usual journals orbearings 2 2, which are subsequently threaded at the ends to receive theusual nuts. This drawing down of the ends tov form the journals may beeffected before or after the intermediate part of the bar is operatedupon, but is preferably effected after such operation upon theintermediate part. The intermediate section 3 of the bar between thepoints a: as is operated upon so as to spread the same gradually fromeach point or: toward the center y of the bar to thereby gradually widenthe same toward the center, as shown in Fig. 4, and in mostinstancesthebar is alsq reduced in thickness from the points at 00 toward the centerto impart the general side outline shown in Fig. The operationsrequisite to thus shape the portion '3 of the bar may be effected bymeans of dif ferent mechanical appliances-as, for' instance, by means ofrolls B B, each with a groove 4, that gradually increases in depth frompoints 5 5 on opposite sides toward intermediate points 6 6, while saidgrooves also increase in Width between the fillets 7 7 from the points 6to the points 5. The barAis introdnced into the pass at the point wherethe latter presents the cross-sectional form of the bar-as, forinstance, at the point 6-that portion of the bar that forms the journalprojecting to the opposite side,as shown in Fig. 6, after g which, bythe revolution of the rolls, the bar is reduced and spread until theelevated portions 5 pass the central line or plane of the axis,after-which the reduction and spreading of the bar gradually diminishuntil said bar passes the points. 6. In the construction shown eachoperation is effected by a halfrevolution of each roll, the bar thenbeing withdrawn and another bar being operated upon on the nexthalf-revolution of the rolls. The usual collar Sis formed by clampingthe body of the bar adjacent to the point 00 between two jaws 9 9 ofproper shape, having die-recesses 10 conforming to the form to beimparted to the inside of the collar, and then bringing a die 12 uponthe projecting end of the bar, said die having a recess to receive thetapering journal, enlarged at 13 to conform to the form of the outerface of the collar, the bar being compressed longitudinally 0 and upsetat the point 33, so as to fill the recesses 1O 13, imparting the propercollar projection 8 to the blank. After the collar projections 8 havebeen formed upon both ends the blank is in shape to be finished in the 5lathe in the usual manner. \Vhere it is not desired to reduce thethickness of the bar at the center y, it is rolled to widen it only,leaving it of uniform thickness throughout.

lVhile I have referred to the forming of the me ends of the bar asfollowing the operations upon the intermediate portion or stock, if

desired, the end portion or journals may be finished first and theintermediate portion operated upon subsequently, and While I havereferred to the bar as being upset to form the collars as integral partsof the continuous homogeneous bar, and as is preferable in carrying outmy invention, I do not limit myself to this mode of forming" thecollars, as the same may be made in separate pieces and shrunk on orotherwise secured.

By the above described series of operations I am enabled to make the barWithout the use of the skilled labor heretofore required, without dangerof burning the metal in welding, and without those imperfections whichresult from incomplete welds, While the cost of production is greatlydiminished, and the axle produced is stronger and may therefore be lessin weight than those made in the ordinary manner.

I do not here claim the blank produced, as the same constitutes aseparate application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 390,025.

IVithoutlimiting myself to the precise order of operations hereinbeforeset forth or to the means described for effecting the same, I

claim I 1. The improvement in the art of manufacturing fan-tailed axlesfor vehicles, consisting in compressing a continuous bar to widen thesame from points adjacent to the ends toward the center and reducing theends beyond said points to form the journals,substantially as set forth.

2. The improvement described in the art of manufacturing fan-tailedaxles, compressing the bar to gradually widen the same from each endtoward the center, reducing the ends to form the journals, and upsettingthe bar to form a collar at the junction-of each journal with theintermediate portion, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

N. P. H. HUGUS.

Witnesses:

GEORGIA P. KRAMER, ISAVBELLE A. FAIRGRIEVE.

